Apparatus for coating the ends of corn ears with wax



R. K. scHwEBs Sept, 15, 1959 APPARATUS FOR COATING THE ENDS OF CORN EARSWITH WAX Filed Nov.

I SPff l5, 1959 R. K. scHwEBs 2,903,996

APPARATUS FOR COATING THE ENDS OF' CORN EARS WITH WAX Filed Nov. 19,1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ROBERT K. SCHWEBS BY 2%/ rfv /%//H /`g? ATTORNEYSStates latent flice Patented Sept. 15, 1959 PATUs non (OATING THE ENDSoF CORN` EARs wrrH WAX Robert K. Sch'webs, Appleton, Wis. ApplicationNovember 19, 1956, Serial No. 623,234

11 Claims. (Cl. 1118-23) This invention appertains to a machine andmethod for treating fresh, sweet corn, whereby to effectively aid in themaintenance of the corn in a fresh, salable and edible condition for aconsiderable length of time.

It has been proposed to cut olf the ends of ears of fresh corn toimprove the appearance thereof and to save on shipping space. It hasbeen found that the cutting olf of the opposite ends of the corn tendsto quickly dry out the corn. In experiments conducted to determine thereason for this, it has been found that the cutting oif of the corn endsexposes the pith of the cob to the atmosphereA and that the pith quicklydries out. The drying out of the pith actually causes a drawing on thekernels and the kernels themselves soon become dry and unwholesome. Infurther experiments, it has been determined that it is well to expose amajor portion of the body of the ears, so that the corn can be iced andso that the consumer can inspect the same.

The drying out of the corn creates great wasteand this materially addsto the overall, ultimate consumer cost.

I have discovered that immediately upon the cutting off of the ends ofthe corn, that if the exposed ends are sealed by wax or other suitablesubstance, the drying out of the corn is materially delayed and the'corn is maintained in a fresh, salable and palatable condition.'

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of my invention to providemeans for aiding in the maintenance of green corn in a fresh salablecondition by rst trimming off the opposite ends of the ears of corn;second, dipping the exposed ends of the corn in molten wax for apredetermined distance, say a half inch, cooling the wax f or sealingthe ends of the corn and for holding the husksv of the corn in place andfor sealing in the milk of cut kernels instant to the trimming of theears.

A further object of my invention is to provide a unitary machineembodying an endless conveyor for carrying fresh ears of cornlongitudinally of the machine withv means for simultaneously trimmingolf the opposite ends of the ears and then for automatically dipping theears at one end in wax and then dipping the opposite ends of the ears inwax with simultaneous cooling means and for finally automaticallyremoving the ears from the conveyor.

A further object of my invention isthe provision of novel means on theconveyor for firmly gripping the ears so that the ears can beeffectively trimmed and so that the ears can be tilted for waxing andcooling purposes.

A further important object of my invention is the provision of novelguide tracks for supporting the corn gripping means on the belt and forbringing about theV tilting of the gripping means so that the terminalsof the trimmed ears can be effectively waxed and cooled.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of means forsupplying and maintaining wax in a free flowing molten condition in thedipping pans forming a part of the machine.

A still further important object of my invention is the provision ofmeans whereby the trimming saws adjust relative to the length of theears of corn and whereby the dipping and cooling pans can be raised andlowered to suit different lengths of ears of corn.

A still further important object of my invention is the provision of amachine cooperating with the trimming and dipping machine for initiallytreating the ears for trimming off husk leaves or flags prior to thetrimming and dipping.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in thenovel constnuction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will behereinafter more specifically de'- seribed and claimed, and illustratedin the accompanying: drawings, in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the machine for trimming, waxingand cooling ears of corn and for initially removing excess leaves or agsfrom the ears, parts of the gure being shown broken away and in sectionto illustrate structural detail;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine for trimming, dipping andcooling the wax and for removing excess leaves or flags from the husk,certain parts of the latter machine being shown in horizontal sectionand the said section being taken on the line 2--2 of Figure l,

, looking in the direction of the arrows;

l the guide tracksfor the saddles;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail transverse secional viewtaken on the line 4 4 of Figure l, looking in the direction of thearrows, the View showing one of the saddles tilted to a verticalposition to partially immerse a trimmed ear of corn in the wax dippingpan, and' Figure 5 is a detail perspective view illustrating one of thecorn gripping saddles.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,the letter L generally indicates the machine for trimming excess leavesor flags from the ears of corn and the letter M generally indicates myr'nachine for trimming the ends of the corn, for waxing the trimmed endsand for cooling the waxed ends.

The machine L is of a diagrammatic nature and shows one form of meansfor trimming or removing the leaves or iiags from the ears of corn. Thismachine includes a hollow base 10 preferably formed from side walls 11and a table top 12. The side walls 11 extend above the.

table top land carry suitable bearingsv for spaced shafts: 13 and 14 foroperating an endless belt 15. The belt; preferably includes a pluralityof freely rotatable rollers; 16 and the ears of cornE are placed on theupper runof this belt and the 'ears are carried through the machiney L.The belt is driven in any preferred manner, such as:

through the use of an elect-ric motor 17. The motor drives a belt 18 andthis belt is trained about a pulley 19, keyed or otherwise secured tothe shaft 13.

Arranged above the upper run of the endless'roller belt 15 is a suctionhood 20, the purpose of which will later appear. Rotatably carried bythe hood 20 at spaced points are rotatable mandrels 21 and thesemandrels have secured thereto circular saws or knives 22. These circularsaws or knives 22 are also arrangedin spaced relation relative to'oneanother and the mandrels are operatively connected together by a pulleybelt 23. One mandrel is driven from an electric motor 24 through themedium of a belt 25. The inner end of the machine carries a receivingshelf 26 and as the ears of corn E travel with the belt 15' the ears aredeposited on this shelf. The operator then grasps the ears and insertsthe same into the machine M, as will be later described.

As the ears of corn are placed on the belt the circular saws or knives22 engage the periphery thereof and trim off any projecting leaves orags. As vthe conveyor belt 15 is formed-from freelyrotatable rollers,the earsfendi:

to tu-rn as the bel-t tavels and as two sets of mandrels and saws areprovided, the excess leaves can be easily cut.

At this time, it is to be noted that the machine L is placed in closerelation to the front or loading end of the machine Ml Th base of themachine. L forms means for receiving a waste receiving basket 27 and thetrimmed portions of'the ears of corn (asv will also later appear), fallinto this basket o r container 2.7.

The machine M includes a base or frame 28 of any preferred character.fAsillustrated, this base or Vframe includes,V a bottom wall 29; andupright spaced. side walls 30. The ends of the machine are partiallyclosed by end walls. 31 and 32.` Extending longitudinally. ofthe frameand confined within the frame housing 28, is a longitudinally. extendingendless conveyor belt 33. The helt can be offany desiredcharactenbutlhave shown the same to. be ofan. endless band of leather, loop orflexible metal and thisbeltat its opposite ends is trained about driverollers 34 keyed or otherwise secured to shaftsl35. These Shafts arerotatably mounted in bearings. 36 carried by the side walls. 30. Oneshaft 35 is driven from an electric motor 3 6' through the. medium of adrive pulley belt37. Theconveyor belt 33. carries at equidistantlyspaced points corn conveyon members 38. Each one of the cornv conveyormembers 38 includesa base plate 39.and an upright post 4Q formed on orsecured to the base plate. Each base platef39fisriveted adjacent. to itslongitudinal Center, a8 at 41, to the conveyor. beltf334 Theupper end ofea'chvpost Q0.. is bent at. right angles to provide a later allyprojecting bearingarm 42. YIt isV tofbe noted; that the bearing arms 42,are in longitudinal. alignment with one. another. Rockably mounted oneach bearing. arm. 4 2 is a corn receiving trough orsaddle 43. Thesaddle is of a substantially U,s`hapef in cross-section andthe sidewalls of` eachl saddle adjacent tok their. ends carryspring clips 44and;the ears of corn. are sprunginto theseclips and are firmly gripped bythe clips. The lower. face. f.

each saddlenat. its transverse center. carries a bearing4 45whichreceives a4 bearing arm. By this construction, it. can be, seenthat each trough, or. saddley is free to. rock transyersely of themachinefrom one ,side tothe other. The upper runof the belttravels overasupporting ,platfjor'mQrand this platform can be securedfto the sidewalls 30 ofjthejramehousing 28. The lowerrun ofthe hieltl 33 5` canbeijsnpported bya longitudinally slotted table 4Q7-andftheslotinltheglowertable 47 -forms.meansfor the; passaggeof the corn carryingmembers 38, therethrough.v

Extending. the full 'length of the machinev are spaced gnideandsupporting tracks 4,8and 48. ThesetracksV form,- animportant part ofkthis invention and the corn tdn'yins` nnenlbers` 3.8.. ride, betweenthe, tracksandy the f rQughS-Qr Saddles@ ride` on top of. thetracks,Itis to be Vnoted that. the forward ends of the ,tracks are curvedarenately downwardly, asiat 49, so. that as thebelt travels,Y theisddlesr. trnngbsfwll be effectively guided-'np and onto the-tracks. The. rearyends of i thev tracksv are. spread apart and,inclineddownwardly, as. at50, and the tracks are spread a suicientdistanceapart to permit -thesaddlesy qrjtroughs .4-3 1to.ri detherebetween.k However, the spreadportionsl50 of the tracks are spaced apartsuch a ydistance that, tl1 etracksuwill engagethe ends ofy the earsof corn andthus, pull the earsofcorn from thesaddles asthe Saddles Swinsdownwardlyrfnr their returnpassage.

Thatracks 48;-and481can. be supported by brackets 51 Secured. to theupper tableA 46.. Obviously, withthe saddles .resting on ,the tracks 4 8on. oppositeA sides of their pivots, the saddles .and,hence theearsofcom areheld frmlvin,ahnrzontal'position.

Mounted adjacent to thelfront orreceivingend ofthe, machine is the cornear trimmingrmechanism 52.- This 0.0m f trimming mechanism 4includes arotary mandrel 55 which extends .transversely across themachine abovethe. saddles lor Vtro,1 1ghs4 3. The mandrelfis rotatably mounted inrbearings 551 l mounted. onv the side ,platesVJ or walls 30,.ofithecfname .housing The mandrel is* A driven `at La., def. ratef.`Speed from `ant electric,motor 55 .throughvthe medium of a drive belt56. Mounted on the mandrel 53 adjacent to its opposite ends are circularsaws 57. The saws are carried by hubs 58 and the hubs can be fastened tothe mandrel 53 'by set screws 59. This provides means for permitting thesaws to be adjusted toward and away from one another to suitl varyinglengths of ears of corn. At point,Y it may be noted that the corn isgraded as lto size andone size isinitially treated by themachine andwhen a different size is being `treated the saws will then adjustaccordingly. The saws themselves are of la sufficient diameter to extendbelow the ears of corn carried-by the saddles andhence as the earsofc-om tr-avel through the machine the same are initially broughtagainst the saws and the saws effectively trim Voff the opposite ends ofthe ears. This waste material is caught by a trough 60 lthat leadsdownwardly and out ofthe machine and terminates above the wastecontainer or basket4 27.

Y The trough can be secured in any desired fashion to the housing frame2,8.

VYThel operator stands at the front or loading station of the machine Mand takes the corn from the shelf 26 and places the corn correctly inthesaddles 43'.

' As the trimmed ears of corn travel past the trimming saws 57, the earsare waxed and the wax is cooled. A1'-V ranged under the track 4 8l isarmolten wax receiving dipping pan61 and a cooling pan 62. Each of thesepans 61 and 6.2. are supported Onbrakefs 63 and the brackets areadjustably carried by the side walls 30.l Hence, these pans can beadjusted up and down` according toy the length of the ears of corn beingtreated. It is to be noted thatthe brackets 63vare longitudinallyslotted'forv receiving holding bolts 64, carried by the side walls ofthemachine.

Now referring more particularly to they track 48it canbe `seen that thistrack directly above the pans 61; and 6:2is provided with downwardlyinclined and curved loops 6,5k and 66. The outer edges of these loopsareprovided vertical guide flanges 67, best shown in Figure 4 ofYthedrawings. The track 48? directly opposite the loopsA 6 5'L and 66i'sprovidedwith tilting cams 68s and 69. As the troughs or saddles 43ride on the tracks48, and-.48.'- past -the saws, the troughs firststrike the cams and, the. saddles are Itilted oif `center andthe saddlesfollow. the contour ofthe loop 65 .and the saddle following; theVcontour of. theloop rides in avertical plane andy one enld of` the `earof cornl carried thereby` is dipped DO, the molten Wax for a limiteddistance. As this saddle travels` further, the same is momentarilylifted back to its;hori zontal position and the saddle. then strikes thecam69 andgthefsaddle is again tilted and follows the contour of the loop66 andthe treated end of the ear of cor-nis immersed.` inthe coolingwater inthe tank` 62, immediately sets the wax. and thesaddle and. itsear of cornthenrnovesback to its horizontal position and hence one endof eachy ear of corn as the same travels through themachine is waxed andcooled.

Beyond the ,waxing panL 61-and the cooling pan 62 is a second:waxingpanr70 and a cooling pan 71. These plans are arranged below thetrack 48. The.track 485-, directly above thepans 70 and 71 is provided with.depending and; curved guide loops 'l2 and 73. The track 48 directlyopf;positetheseploops is provided withtilting cams 74 and 75: As the cornreaches the cams 74 and vv75'* and-the loops V72Aand 7g3, `the corn istilted to avertical position on the opposite side of the machine andhence the oppo-y siteends of ears of corn arerfirst dipped in thepan 70and.waxed and are then dipped in the coolingapanl and thegwaxis set..The saddles thenride to'their-horizontal positionand thesaddlesridebetween the spread portions 50 of the tracks 48 and 48 and the earsof corn are lifted out ofthe saddles and the same roll lxdown thetrack;portions,50;to a suitable receptacle, not show1l. The pans 70 and271xare also` carried by a side wallg30; of the housing4 frame 28 andcan also be. adjusted as tto. height.

Arranged within the housing frame is a master tank 76 for wax and thewax is reduced to a molten condition by an electric heater 77 of theimmersion type. Arranged in the master tank 76 is a pump 78 and theoutlet of the tank is connected by llexible hoses 79 to the waxing pans61 and 70. The bottoms of the tanks are provided with return hoses 80which lead to the mas-ter tank 76. Water is supplied to the cooling tank62 and 71 in any preferred manner, and as shown, I provide each pan 62and 71 with a water feed hose 81 and 'a return hose 82. The water can bechilled in any desired manner such as by the use of refrigerating coilsor the like.

While I have shown an immersion heater 77 in ythe master tank 76 for thewax, it is to be understood that any desired type of heating means canbe employed and, in fact, the wax pans 61 and 70 can be provided withauxiliary heaters, should such be desirable.

It is to be understood also that -the ears can be dipped twice in wax ateach end so `as to provide two thin layers of sealing wax.

It is also proposed to utilize end labels -for the ears and these labelscanl be merely pressed into the waxed ends of the corn.

Means can also be provided for grasping and stripping down a portion of`the husk of the ears so as to expose some rows of corn kernels to View.It is not necessary to strip down the husk of all ears.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided asimple but elective machine for saw-V ing off the ends of ears of cornsquare and for waxing and sealing the opposite ends of the trimmed ears.

The machine shown in the drawings is by way of example only, and variouschanges in details of construction can be made thereto, providing thesame do not depar-t from the spirit or the scope of this invention as|defined by the following claims.

I claim: l. A machine for preparing fresh corn for the retail tradecomprising a frame, an endless conveyor in said frame and travellinglongitudinally thereof, saddles carried by the conveyor and extendingtransversely thereof and transversely of the machine, releasable meansfor holding ears of corn in the saddles with the ends of the ears ofcorn protruding beyond the saddles, pans of melted wax arrangedalongside of the conveyor, and means adjacent to said pans foralternately swinging the saddles from one side -to the other toward saidpans for immersing the protruding ends of the corn into said pans forcoating the opposite ends of the corn with the wax in said pans.

2. A machine for preparing fresh corn for the retail trade comprising aframe, a conveyor mounted in said frame for travelling movementlongitudinally of the frame, equidistantly spaced corn receiving saddlescarried by the conveyor and extending transversely of the conveyor andthe frame, means releasably holding ears of corn in the saddles with theends of the ears of corn protruding beyond the saddles, means carried bythe frame and extending transversely of the conveyor for trimming ol theends of the ears of corn during thetravel of the conveyor, pans ofmelted wax disposed on opposite sides of the conveyor, and means foralternately moving the saddles on opposite sides of the conveyor andtoward the pans of wax for immersing the ends of the corn in the rwax.

3. A machine for preparing fresh corn for the retail trade as delined inclaim 2, and means including a table carried by the frame over which theupper run of the conveyor travels for lirmly supporting the upper run ofthe conveyor against lateral twisting during its travelling movement.

4. A machine for treating fresh ears of corn for the retail trade asdefined in claim 2 and means for automatically stripping the ears ofcorn from the saddles after the Waxing of the ends of the corn.

5. A machine for preparing fresh corn for the retail trade as defined inclaim 2, and means for immediately cooling the dipped ends of the earsfor setting the wax.

6. A machine for preparing ears of corn for the retail trade as definedin claim 2, and means for carrying the trimmed ends of the corn awayfrom the machine.

7. A machine for preparing fresh corn for the retail trade comprising aframe, a conveyor mounted in said frame for traveling movementlongitudinally of the frame, equidistantly spaced corn receiving saddlescarried by the conveyor and extending transversely of the conveyor andthe frame, means releasably holding ears of corn in the saddles, meanscarried by the frame and extending transversely of the conveyor fortrimming off the ends of the ears of corn during the travel of theconveyor, pans of melted wax disposed on opposite sides of the conveyor,and means for alternately moving the saddles on opposite sides of theconveyor and toward the pans of wax for immersing the ends of the cornin the waX, means for immediately cooling the waxed ends of the corn forsetting the wax, and means for automatically stripping the ears of cornfrom the saddles after the waxing and cooling of the waX.

8. A machine for preparing fresh corn for the retail trade comprising aframe, an endless conveyor belt supported by said frame and travellinglongitudinally of the frame, means for lirmly supporting the upper runof the conveyor during its travelling movement, equidistantly spacedposts secured to the conveyor and adapted to project outwardlytherefrom, corn receiving saddles extending transversely of the conveyorand the frame rockably mounted at their transverse centers on the posts,means in the saddles for releasably gripping the corn, a pair of spacedguide tracks arranged in spaced relation to the upper run of saidconveyor for normally supporting the saddles on the upper run of theconveyor in a horizontal plane, means arranged transversely of the upperrun of the conveyor for trimming off the opposite ends of the ears inthe saddles during the travel of the conveyor and the movement of thesaddles on the tracks, pans of melted wax located on opposite sides ofthe tracks and beyond the corn trimming means, said tracks above saidpans having downwardly projecting guide loops whereby to guide thesaddles to a tilted position above said pans with the ears of corncarried thereby partially immersed in the melted wax in said pans.

9, A machine for preparing fresh ears of corn for the retail trade asdeiined in claim 8, and said tracks beyond the pans of melted wax beingspread apart a suicient distance to permit the saddles to passtherethrough, and said tracks at the spread portion being inclineddownwardly for engaging the opposite ends of the com and to strip thecorn from the saddles as the saddles pass through said spread portion ofthe tracks.

10. A machine for preparing fresh corn for the retail trade as delinedin claim 8 and cams carried by the track disposed in the path of thesaddles for positively tilting said saddles toward said loops.

11. A machine for preparing fresh corn for the retail trade, as definedin claim 8, and means including cooling pans for setting the waximmediately after the dipping of the ends of the corn in lche pans ofwax.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,004,033 Johnson Sept. 26, 1911 1,270,755 Holmberg June 25, 1.9182,109,365 Carll et al. Feb. 22, 1938 2,128,028 Hampton Aug. 23, 19382,298,631 Siewing Oct. 13, 1942 2,464,529 Recker Mar. 15, 1949 2,664,090Morrison Dec. 29, 1953 2,675,808 Hecht Apr. 20, 1954

